Flexible belt fastener



Baum. 311., m9. J. c. mm 2,145,455

FLEXl BLE BELT FASTENER Filed OO'I. 5, 1937 IN VEIVTOR Y V2140 C O/JQWPatented Jan. 31, 1939 Midi 2,145,455 I FLEXIBLE BELT FASTENER JohnOlsen,

ration of Illinois Application October 5,

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in flexible belt fastener.

One object of the invention is to provide, in a flexible or hingedsectional rocker pin type of fastener for belts and the like, animproved construction which will minimize wear and breakage of thefastener parts and, more particularly, minimize the so-called whippingaction of the fastener which occurs when the belt is running overpulleys.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sectional rocker hingepin for belt fasteners and the like, which hinge pin possesses greaterstrength and longer life than former types of rocker hinge pins for asimilar purpose.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a sectional rockerhinge pin with specially formed lugs or shoulders, which, in cooperationwith interdigitated loop fastener plates or lacings, not only performtheir usual function of preventing endwise displacement of the pin whilein use but, in addition, function to prevent or at least minimize theslipping or scuffing of the two sections of the pin on each other whenin use.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure l is abroken plan view of portions of adjacent ends of a belt showing theimproved fastener in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a verticalsectional View corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure l,but upon a somewhat larger scale. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure2, but illustrating the two ends of the belt angularly disposed withreference to each other to more clearly indicate the mode of functioningof the improved fastener. Figure 4 is a perspective View of a portion ofone of the hinge pin sections. And Figure 5 is a transverse sectionalview of a hinge pin section corresponding substantially to the line 5-5of Figure 4, but upon a somewhat enlarged scale.

In said drawing, iii-4i] indicates the adjacent ends of a belt, conveyoror other flexible type of power transmitter, which are adapted to beflexibly or hingedly connected by a fastener. The improved fastener, asshown, comprises two attaching members, plates or lacings indicatedbroadly by the reference characters A and Band the hinge pin indicatedgenerally by the reference character C.

The attaching members A and B are of likecomprises two main secformation and each Chicago, 111., assignor to Flexible Steel LacingCompany,

Chicago, 111., a corpo- 1937, Serial No. 167,407

tions Il-ll extending parallel to the end edge of the belt, saidsections l|--Il formed with loops.

being integrally The loops, as shown, are of the rounded end type withsubstantially parallel arms extending therefrom, the loops on the memberA being indicated generally by the reference character l2 and the armsand those on the member thereof as li -H B being indicated generally bythe reference character 13 and the arms thereof as l3 l3 from thedrawing, the loops l2 As clearly apparent of the member A are alternatedwith or interdigitated with respect to the loops l 3 of the member 13,thus placing the loops in alinement transversely of the belt in a commonmanner. The attaching members A and B- are provided with extensionsli-Hl with prongs iii-45 to clinch the same to the belt,

as shown.

The improved rocker hinge pin C comprises two preferably alike hinge pinelements or sections referenced, iii and ll. Each of said pin el shownin Figures 4 and 5, is

for convenience of description,

ements, as best of substantially double convex cross section with acontinuous uninterrupted convex rolling bearing surface IE on what maybe termed its inner side, and a convex bearing or seating surface I orouter side. Along the bearin 9 on its other g surface ii), at

spaced intervals therealong, each pin element is also provided withpairs of lugs ZED-Ell of special formation, as about to be described.Preferably,

the spacing of the tudinally of the pin spond with the spacing of bers Aand B. Further, the lugs preferably of a width, that is,

pairs of lugs 2ll--2 0 longielements, is such as to correthe loops ofthe mem- 2lJ--2fl are also of a dimension extending lengthwise of thepin element, slightly less than the width of the loops As best shown inFigure 5, the are similarly located one above below the longitudinalcenter lin l2 and i3.

lugs Ell and fill and the other e of the seating surface l9, that is,above and below the horizontal minor axis of the double convex section,as

the pin element is positioned in Figure 5. Each lug projects outwardlybeyond the main seating surface is and preferably is formed of twoplanar surfaces 2i and 22, the former mately tangent to the surface isof intersection of the two surfaces and the other planar surface 22tially tangent to the surface line thereof ,as shown.

section between the two 22 will vary somewhat rocker hinge pins and inaccor being approxialong the line it and I9, being substan- N at thecenter T e exact angle of intersurfaces 2! and for different sizes ofdance with the 2 2,145,455 7 limited amount of angular movement desired,thrown up above the loops of the attachin; e hereinafter explaine ber Bbut, on account of the relative dimensit w As will be understood bythose skilled in the of the pin elements It and I1 and spacing of theart, the fastener is applied to the belt ends in loop arms and thelocation and formation of the the following manner. The members A and Blugs 20 and 20, this action is prevented and the are first separatelyattached to their respective relative angular movement between the loopsof belt ends, the spacing of the loops I2 and 3 from the two members Aand B is about an approxithe end edges of the belt being determined by amately fixed center.

gauge pin during the clinching operation, as will In addition to thelimiting function hereinbebe understood. When the members A and B foredescribed, the lugs 2020 perform also the digitated, as shown, and thetwo ends of the displacement of the hinge pin since it is evident beltpushed together as far as posible, thus obthat the lugs lit-ill willprevent any substantial taining the maximum spacing, in a line parallelendwise movement of the pin elements so long as to the belt, between theopposed sets of rounded there is any tension on the belt ends.

ends of the loops l2 and I3. The two sections It will also be noted thatthe metal of the lugs he Other hinge D 1 e me s hOWn in the convexformations, and hence the amount of d a the seating s a es 9 0f thehinge pin metal available in the main body portions of the e e s e m suas to fit snugly e inner hinge pin elements is less to resist bendingstrains curved surfaces of the rounded ends of the loops near the edges,Th lugs Zia-20 are obviously I2 and I3. It Will further be Observed tthe so located that they reinforce the thinner edges maj r r ver icaldiame ers of the hin e pin of the hinge in elements and hence add totheir elements 16 and I! are made to correspond substrength againstbending.

stantially with the spacing between the parallel Th n tru tion of th hipin elements is 13, as shown in Figure 2. rolling and, the two elementsbeing of preferably h the P s Of the fastener assembled in likeconstruction, may be made on the same set normal position, as shown inFigure 2, it will be of rolls, thus reducing the cost of manufactureseen that the flat surfaces 2| of each set or pair t a, mini u A will fth be u d st d by f lu s onv e t wa d th ad a belt end those skilled inthe art, the hinge pin elements edge and e d sp sed at an an le to theres may be rolled to any desired length and broken tive parallel arms ofthe loops which angle is in- 1? t t difi-ere t widths of belt. dicatedat it. When t e b l fl as upon Although there has herein been shown anddeenterihg the p y eav the tangent, there scribed what is now consideredthe preferred is a definite tendency f the leading belt end to manner ofcarrying out the invention, the same ticularly the two elements orsections of the What is claimed is:

ro ker hin p n, s n su h wh p action 1. In a fastener of the characterdescribed, the tends to scufi or s ide t e rolling bearing faces,combination with members attachable to the adsueh as ind ce ed a p eachSuch jacent ends of a belt, said members having interwh pp action also aa e y definite tenddigitated loops, the loops having substantially y tocrystallize the metal of the l o of the parallel arms; of a hinge pindisposed within the attaching me e e t0 the repeated impingeloops, saidpin comprising two elements having ment of the ng D elements agamst theD opposed cooperable rolling bearing surfaces, each arms, if suchWhipping ac o is not F element also having, on the side opposite itsWith the constructiqn of loops and hinge P rolling bearing surface, setsof lugs spaced longie1 ement$ as shown 11; apparent that such Whlptudinally thereof to correspond with the spacing attaching members.

- 2. In a fastener of the character described the surfaces 2i of thelugs on both hinge pin elements 1 I6 and nengage the upper arms 2a. and[3a of the combination with members attachable to adthe leading end ofthe belt traveling in the direcelements having Opposed Coopereblerollingr arthe belt ends are in alinement, extend at an angle to thearms of the loops.

3. As an article of manufacture, a hinge pin for belt fasteners, saidpin comprising two like elements, each element being substantially ofdouble convex cross section, the convex surface along one side beingcontinuous and adapted to form a rolling bearing surface, the otherconvex surface constituting a seating surface for loops of a fastener,each element on its seating surface side being formed with lugs spacedlongitudinally of the pin element, each lug having a substantially flatsurface extending in a plane approximately tangential to said curvedseating surface at the line of junction of the two convex surfaces ofthe pin element.

4. As an article of manufacture, a hinge pin for belt fasteners, saidpin comprising two like elements, each being of substantially doubleconvex cross section, one of the convex surfaces extending free frominterruption for the length of the pin to provide a rolling bearingsurface, the other convex surface having formed thereon, pairs oflimiting lugs spaced at intervals lengthwise of the pin element, thelugs of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter line of the convex surface on which formed and each lug having anouter fiat face.

5. As an article of manufacture, a hinge pin for belt fasteners, saidpin comprising two like elements each being of substantially doubleconvex cross section, one of the convex surfaces extending free frominterruption for the length of the pin to provide a rolling bearingsurface, the other convex surface having formed thereon, pairs oflimiting lugs spaced at intervals lengthwise of the pin element, thelugs of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter line of the convex surface on which formed, each lug having twoouter faces, one substantially tangent to the edge of the pin elementformed at the intersection of the two convex surfaces thereof, and theother face being substantially tangent at the center line of the convexsurface on which formed.

6. An element for a sectional rocker hinge pin for belt fasteners andthe like, said element being generally elongated and of substantiallydouble convex cross section, one of the convex surfaces extendingcontinuously and adapted to form a rolling bearing surface with acorresponding element, the other convex surface having formed thereon,at intervals spaced longitudinally of the element, lugs, the lugs beingspaced to correspond substantially with the spacing of loops of beltfastener attaching members with which adapted to be used, each of saidlugs having an end face disposed substantially tangential to the convexsurface on which the lug is formed at the edge line of intersection ofthe two convex surfaces of the pin element.

7. An element for a sectional rocker hinge pin for belt fasteners, andthe like, said element being provided along one side thereof, with aconvex rolling bearing surface, said element being provided along theother side thereof with a seating surface adapted to cooperate withloops of an attaching member, said seating surface being provided, atspaced intervals therealong, with lugs, the lugs being disposed onopposite sides of the longitudinal center line of said seating surface,said lugs having outer flat faces.

JOHN C. OLSEN.

